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December 22, 2009

Bribing Nebraska Not in the Budget for Christmas

-Patrick S Lasswell

We Can't Afford to Bribe Nebraska: An Open Letter to Senators Wyden and Merkley

Dear Senators Wyden and Merkley,

After checking our budget carefully, my wife and I have decided to cut back on luxuries like movies, vacations and bribing the state of Nebraska. While we are sure that a generous holiday spirit impelled you to buy off the state so you could cram through execrable health care legislation, you might not be aware that our taxes are the coin you spent doing so. We are aware of this future tax burden, and since you were so generous with our money, we're getting quite worried about how we are going to make it through the coming years. My wife and I both work for a living in Oregon, which already has some of the highest taxes in the United States, and our jobs are dependent on being competitive in world markets. Making Nebraska more attractive to employers is not a Christmas gift we can afford.

By the way, did you know that Nebraska's state motto is “Equality Before the Law”? According to the latest poll data, it appears that most Nebraskans hold true to this motto, even if you and Senator Nelson have other ideas. You see, when Nebraska gets bribed by unfair legislation, they don't get to be equal any more. In your time in Washington, with all its many privileges accorded to Senators, you might well forget that Americans overwhelmingly prefer to be equal in the eyes of the law.

In the last year, you've spent our money more recklessly than ever before. Further, your legislation is paying off worse than if you'd spent the money on Powerball or video poker. We need you to be finding workable methods to help the economy, not throwing good money after bad. Or throwing our money at Nebraska.